The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-15
JACK TURNER'S DEATH.
Another Kentucky Outlaw Who Died
with His Boots On,

saSSlnatlOn was duOpUeu anu JACK turner,
one of the most wealthy and prominent
men of that county, was shot from ambush
in Pineville, Bell county, Friday morning
and nearly torn to pieces with bullets from
the guns of men concealed in the leading
hotel of.the town. The affair was the latest
event of note in a family feud of many
years. standing. The murdered man was
Under bond at the time of his death to an
pear in the Bell Circuit Court to answer to
a charge of murder, but even then he contin-
ued to deport himself as one gifted with su-
preme authority, and none dared to dispute
him or to oppose him IN any of his lawless
deeds.
Jack Turner was of large family of the
same name, and was one of the richest men
in his county. He was desperately courage
Gus and had little regard for human life or
the rights of others when his wishes were to
be catered to or when revenge was his OBJ
iect. The origin of the feud which con-
verified the Turner family into gang of
outlaws was the killing of one of the Tur-
father-in-law of Marsh Turner, cousin of
the victim. The murder created an enmity
between the members of the family, which
resulted in several other killings, but the
effect Of time was to turn the entire Turner
gang against the Sowders. and the Turner's,
who were very numerous, .terroriZed the
entire county and slaughtered whom they
pleased without fear of the consequences,
FOR they were banded together to resist ar
rest and to defy the law. Bell county is in
mountainous district and thinly settled,
and is without railroad or Geographic COM
munication with the outer world.
Jack Turner grew up in the midst of the
outlaw settlement formed by his family and
grew accustomed to the foul murders and
assassinations which were constantly occur
ring, for it was the custom to waylay and
kill, without giving the victims any oppor-
tunity for defense. His wealth and brave
ry, combined with the education in crime
he received in his youth, made him man
to be avoided and feared, and in his strength
he was possessed of authority to do what
ever pleased his fancy, and he ruled his sub
jects with his ready sixshooter and Win
chester rifle He has killed four or five
men. Among his victims were his father
in-law and brother-in-law, both of whom
were shot from ambush and murdered in
cold blood. That he was bold desperate
he proved in numerous encounters with
deadly weapons, and his reputation was
barely eclipsed by that of his relative and
chief, Harvey Turner, who has killed few
more men and been more openly a defiant
desperate than Jack. The stronghold of
the Turner'S was near Cumberland Gap, not
ldT HUH Dt6Nluo, duu Jdck lived
twelve miles from that place on the road to
Cumberland Gap. About month ago
Sheriff E. Ingram, of Bell county, organ
ganized a strong posse and, after arming his
force with 44-calibre navy revolverS and
Winchester rifles, started out to arrest Har-
vey Turner for the murder of Jim Reims,
crime comm tied some time ago. The armed
party stealthily approached the Turner
neighborhood, but warning of the attack
haI Il h,,l
time to arm themselves and prepare for
resistance to the death. Harvey Turner
had sworn that he would not be taken alive
and hard fight was expected, but when the
officers learned that the Turner's had pre-
pared an ambush for them and were forti-
fed in an old cornfield, which could not be
approached except in the open ground, half
of them weakened and started back to Pine
vile. The remainder of the posse persisted
In STAYING and found shelter in Marsh Tur-
ner's house.
Those who were left behind we're George
Thomas, Town Marshal of Pineville; Charles
G. MentZonbefg, Joshua Sowders, w. P.
Sowders, William Burgess. Fred Nichols,
and Marsh and John Turner of the same
family as the desperadoes, but men who
sympathized with the better class of people.
The outlaws turned the tables on the officers
by beginning an attack, and after a steady
fire from the men hid in the cornfield, the
posse was driven out of the house and forced
to flight. In escaping Marshal Thomas was
killed, and w. P. Sowders and John Turner
were badly wounded The uninjured men
sheltered themselves behind trees and kept
up a struggling fire for some time, and at
last managed to escape under a steady
shower of bullets The news of the battle
reached Pineyille before the survivors re-
turned and created intense excitement. 1t
was determined to break up the Turner
gang and the people organized for that pur-
pose The fact that Jack Turner was one
of the party engaged in the conflict between
the outlaws and officers, and in the murder
of Marshal Thomas, became known and the
grand jury of Bell county indicted him, and
a warrant for his arrest to be presented be-
fore the Circuit Court, then in session, was
issued. Jack swore that he would never be
taken alive and for time evaded the Off
GERS, but at last decided to give himself up,
and went TO Pineville and did So He was
In Jail for a short time, but after prelimi-
nary examination was admitted to bail. He
could not find a bondsman and secured his
liberty by making a cash deposit of the
amount of his bond. The Circuit Court
was still in session, and Turner remained in
town waiting for his case to be called.
For two weeks he was about town and
during that time conducted himself in the
same manner he had been accustomed to.
he boosted that for twenty years he had
been fighting i'll the feud his family main
tanned, and openly said of his brother, Ben
Turner, that he meant to kill him; that he
would be compelled to do this, as Ben would
kill him if he did not do SO. He also threat
ened to wreak revenge on his enemies III the
town, and these kept away from HIM, as they
felt certain he would do as he said in spite
of the fact that he was then at liberty under
sufferance. Jack staggered around in his
rutiian style and kept the streets fairly clear
by his presence on them until Friday morn
ing. Early in the day he sauntered down
the main street of Pineville, firmly inn
pressed with the idea that none had the
courage to dispute with or oppose him. On
this occasion he was mistaken. He was di-
rectly opposite Major Monroe's hotel, the
largest establishment of the kind in the
town, and walking slowly past it when,
from second-story window puff OF smoke,
followed by the report of a gun, attracted
the attention of the town people, who found
the best place to watch Turner from was
inside their houses The OUTLAW staggered
and then another shot was fired from
window i'll the back end of the hotel A
third shot came from an alleyway behind
the building, and then for a few seconds the
firing became so rapid that it was impossi-
BILE to count the number of reports. A
leaden hail poured from three directions
into the desperate bully's body and he was
not given the slightest chance to defend
himself